HOUSTON -- It was yet another showcase of the Rockets' enviable offensive weaponry, with Houston eclipsing the 120-point plateau for the sixth time this season despite a quiet night from sharpshooter Ryan Anderson and an 0-fer shooting performance from Luc Mbah a Moute.

But the Rockets' 130-123 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night at Toyota Center was as much about what their small-ball lineup provided defensively as it was about their usual offensive exploits.

Houston (21-4), which will host the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, went small down the stretch for a second consecutive game, and the Rockets found the intensity it sought after its opponent torched its defense over the opening three periods.